‘Solo’: A ‘different’ side of ‘Star Wars’ is explored in new featurette

April 30 (UPI) — Solo: A Star Wars Story star Alden Ehrenreich and director Ron Howard say the upcoming prequel film expands the Star Wars universe and offers a different look at the galaxy far, far away in a new featurette.

“The Star Wars universe that we see in Solo is different from anything else that we’ve seen in any previous Star Wars movies,” Howard says in the clip released Sunday alongside footage of the universe under the Empire’s control.

“The Empire controls everything. Everyone is struggling to survive. But we discover this incredibly free spirit,” Howard continues in reference to Han Solo.

“You end up getting to see how this guy got to be the way he is,” Ehrenreich says of how the film explores Han Solo’s origins and shows how he becomes the charming but rough around the edges smuggler from the original films.

“It’s all part of the great expansion of the Han Solo world,” he continues.

The featurette also includes new footage not seen in any trailers including shots of Han Solo talking with Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) while playing cards, Han Solo being confronted by a water creature and Han Solo trying to survive on the battlefield as the Empire wages war.

Solo: A Star Wars Story, is set to arrive in theaters on May 25. Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson and Thandie Newton also star.